8
Main Industries Of Spain Main Industries Tourism is an important industry in Spain. Millions of people visit the country each year, and thousands of Spaniards have jobs that serve the tourists. For example hotel workers, cafe and restaurant workers, workers in transport and at tourist attractions such as galleries and museums. In factories: Clothing, shoes and textiles, food and drinks, chemicals, machinery, cars, electrical equipment, chemicals On farms: About one-quarter of the population live outside the cities in the countryside. Spain's farmers live in small villages and towns and grow vegetables, citrus fruits such as oranges, olives to make olive oil, and grapes to make wine. The best farm land is in the north. Here the soil is rich and fertile and there is plenty of rain all year round. Farmers also keep sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. Fishing is an important industry and Spain has a large fleet of fishing boats. Cod, tuna, octopus and sardines are all caught in the waters off the Spanish coasts. Mining in the mountains produces iron ore which is turned into steel. Other minerals mined in Spain are lead, copper, zinc and coal.

9
Main Agriculture of Spain Viewed in terms of land mass, Spain is one of the largest countries of Western Europe, and it ranks second in terms of its elevation, after Switzerland. A large part of the country is semiarid, with temperatures that range from extremely cold in the winter to scorching in the summer. Rainfall, which is often inadequate, tends to be concentrated in two generally brief periods during the year. Summer droughts occur frequently. Of Spain's 50.5 million hectares of land, 20.6 million, or about 40 percent, are suitable for cultivation; however, the soil is generally of poor quality, and only about 10 percent of the land can be considered excellent.

10
Brief History The economical crisis of the early 1920s led the country to the brink of civil war, and General Primo de Ribera established a military dictature until 1930. Elections in 1931 saw a triumph for the political left, and Alphonse XIII. left the country. Increasing conflicts between the Republican government and the Nationalist opposition led to the Spanish Civil War (1936-39).